Tablet computing devices, sometimes referred to as tablets, or as tablet computers, are generally planar, lightweight devices that include a touch-screen display. Examples include the Apple iPad, Kindle Fire, Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry Playbook, LG Optimus Pad, Dell Streak, HP TouchPad, HTC Flyer, and Viewsonic ViewPad. Generally, tablets have a rectangular form factor that may be considered smaller than a traditional laptop or desktop computer monitor but larger than a smaller electronic device such as a smartphone. For example, in some cases tablets may be about 20 CM to about 30 CM in length, about 10 CM to about 20 CM in height, and about 1 CM in thickness or less, with a weight of between about 400 grams and about 1 KG. Tablets also generally have a display panel (e.g. LCD or TFT) with a screen size of between about 15 CM and about 25 CM, and may include a variety of other features such as front and/or rear camera(s), wire or cable connector(s) (e.g., proprietary, HDMI, USB, audio, charging/power, etc.), and wireless network connections (e.g., 3G/4G, Wi-Fi). Tablets may also currently have between about 500 MB and about 1 GB of RAM and between about 16 GB and about 64 GB of storage memory.
Tablets have many features that make them portable by nature. For example, tablets are battery powered and need only to be plugged in periodically to recharge the battery; the touch-screen display of tablets allows tablets to be operated without the use of a computer peripheral device like a mouse or keyboard; and, as noted above, the 3G/4G and WiFi network connections provide the tablet mobile internet connectivity. These features of tablets, in addition to their small form factor, allow for a high degree of portability. Consequently, a single tablet is often used in many different environments.
In most environments a user will operate a tablet while simply holding it in her hands. Some environments, however, may provide other opportunities to position a tablet. For example, a person using a tablet at a desk may place the tablet flat on the desk, prop the tablet up with books, or lean the tablet up against a wall. In addition, some tablet cases or covers are able to fold into a configuration that supports the tablet in a free-standing position.